Let's keep this going

Before we launch into tonight's gamethread, there is some interesting ex-Pirate news tonight: ex-Freak Show utility man extraordinaire, who actually played with the Pirates again in 1999 after earning a World Series ring with the Yankees as a bullpen catcher, is the interim manager for the Brewers. The wake of Milwaukee's collapse has claimed Ned Yost's job and it's up to Sveum, who's as good a guy as you can run into in baseball from what I understand, to finish this season one game better than the Phillies and get the Brewers into the playoffs. Good luck to him.

In Pittsburgh tonight, the Pirates play the Dodgers and hope to keep their nice little run against decent teams going. The Dodgers are looking like certain NL Central winners and if they're going to collapse it has to happen now. I'd sure like the Pirates to have a hand in that because I think Ned Colletti is a moron, I'm tired of Manny Ramirez's schtick, and I think the Diamondbacks are a well-run team with some interesting young players. The Pirates would almost need to sweep to keep the D'Backs in it and while that seems unlikely, there's no harm in rooting for it.